At a time when ticket prices are constantly on the rise, guarantees for artists headlining big, brand-name festivals such as Bottlerock, Outside Lands, Lollapalooza and others have more than doubled since the COVID years to $2m-plus.

Billie Eilish seems primed to replace Taylor Swift at #1 on the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart and is also contending for the top slot on the Official Singles Chart.

The music biz has jammed the pedal to the metal with the arrival of Billie’s latest long player, a supercharged Post/Morgan collab, a surprise 180 from Childish and a high-octane ACM Awards. On the other hand, newly hired HITS loser Jonathan Cohen finds himself stuck in reverse.

Go to HITS List—and step on it.

Hozier’s massive “Too Sweet” is his biggest song since the powerhouse “Take Me to Church” turned heads a decade ago, but the Irish troubadour has been making consistently compelling music the whole time.

Rob Tannenbaum has joined the HITS editorial staff as senior editor, grievously tarnishing a once-sterling reputation.